Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to a method for deactivating an automated driving function of a vehicle and a driver assistance system.
German patent document DE 102006057842 A1 discloses a method in which a driving function for avoiding side collisions of a vehicle with lateral objects is automatically performed. However, the driver of the vehicle can interrupt the collision-avoiding driving function by actuating a steering wheel, an accelerator pedal or a brake pedal of the vehicle to such an extent that a deactivation threshold is exceeded. One disadvantage of this method is that the driver can also deactivate the driving function by an accidental actuation of the steering wheel, the brake pedal or the accelerator pedal and thus no longer receives any system support for avoiding collisions.
Exemplary embodiments of the invention are directed to a method and corresponding driver assistance function with which accidental deactivations of an automated driving function can be avoided.
In the method according to the invention for deactivating an automated driving function of a vehicle, in particular of a highly automated or autonomous driving function, a driver of the vehicle can cause a deactivation of the driving function by a driver intervention, in particular by a steering intervention or by a pedal intervention, for example by a brake pedal intervention or an accelerator pedal intervention. Here, the driving function is then deactivated and the driving task is therefore transferred to the driver when the driver intervention exceeds a deactivation threshold, wherein the deactivation threshold is predetermined depending on the operation time of the driving function, i.e., depending on the time which has elapsed since the activation of the driving function. Alternatively, or additionally, the deactivation threshold can also be specified depending on the responsiveness of the driver. Herein, the term “responsiveness” is used synonymously with the terms “attentiveness” or “readiness of the driver to take over the driving task”, because the higher the attentiveness of the driver is or the higher the readiness of the driver to take over the driving task is, the higher the responsiveness of the driver is.
The deactivation threshold is thus variable and is adapted to the operating state of the vehicle, namely to the operation time of the driving function, or to the state of the driver, by means of its variation.
In an advantageous development of the method, the deactivation threshold is predetermined in such a manner that it is higher directly after the activation of the driving function than some time afterwards.
In a further advantageous development of the method, the deactivation threshold is predetermined in such a manner that it is higher with a low responsiveness of the driver than with a high responsiveness of the driver.
Preferably, the deactivation threshold is predetermined in such a manner that it continuously decreases up to a predefined pre-set threshold value with increasing time since the last activation of the driving function.
Preferably, the deactivation threshold is specified in such a manner that, during a predeterminable time window from the activation of the driving function, it is at least equal to a value which corresponds to the driver intervention at the time of the activation of the driving function.
A driver assistance system for the highly automated or autonomous driving operation of a vehicle is set up according to the invention in such a manner that it carries out the method according to the invention.